Bellows operated musical instruments



June 15, 1965 D. J. WINCH 3,188,903

BELLOWS OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEY June 15, 1965 n. J. WINCH 3,188,903

BELLOWS OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I9 1N VENTOR.

14 pwA/ra ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,138,903 BELLOWS OPERATEDMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Donald J. Winch, 255 W. 34th St., New York, NY.Filed May 14, 1964', Ser. No. 367,358 7 Claims. ((11. 84-375) Thisinvention relates to bellows operated musical instruments such as of theorgan or accordion type.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved airflow system for the usual reed box incorporated in instruments of theabove type. More specifically, I have devised a bellows system whichcomprises two separate bellows which have an unusual method of operationin that one of the bellows is compressed by the pressure of the heels ofthe playing hands of the user, the same pressure being employed tosimultaneously expand the other bellows. Thereafter, the operation isreversed, still being controlled by the players hands, such reverseoperation being controlled by the back of the hand. As a result, manyartistic and varied effects may be achieved by such manual regulation ofthe bellows, at the same time that the keys are being played. Further,the use of the hands to operate the bellows simplifies and reduces theoverall size of the instrument.

The particular arrangement of the bellows in my instrument makespossible a substantially continuous how of super-atmospheric air throughthe reed box since each bellow-s will operate alternately andcooperatively in directing such air through the reed box. it isimportant to observe that only one set of reeds is required, bothbellows serving the same set of reeds. Of course this simplifiesmanufacture, tuning, etc. However, this particular aspect is not new perse except in conjunction with my unique bellows system as hereinaftershown.

My instrument is most convenient to use since it can rest on a table oron the users lap.

The invention will be further understood from the following descriptionand figures in which;

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of my improved organ typeinstrument in the neutral or rest position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view; and

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the downstroke in theoperation of the instrument.

As will be observed, the instrument is substantially L shaped having afront, lower bellows 10 and a rear upper bellows 11 which is ofisetrelative thereto. Front bellows 1%), as will hereinafter be shown,serves as a support or platform for the keyboard through theintervention of a rectangular reed box. Accordingly, it is preferable,but

of course not necessary, that the bellows id have a front to back widthwhich is slightly greater than that of bellows 11. For example, suchwidth of bellows It? may be about 9" while that of bellows 11 may beBellows is provided with a stationary floor 12 which will extend acrossthe entire instrument while side strips 12a support the instrument abovea resting surface. Floor 12 is provided with a conventional form ofintake valve 13 which draws air into compartment 14 when the bellows 10is expanded. On the other hand, when bellows 1b is compressed, valve 13closes and air is delivered to centrally disposed reed box 15 throughdelivery valve 16 of conventional form.

Reed box 15 is rectangular and may be about 1%." high. It will berecognized, of course, that all these dimensions are purelyrepresentative and may be varied considerably.

The floor 17 of reed box 15 serves as the top plate of lower bellows 10,while the top plate 18 of the reed box serves both as a platform and asthe support or floor for the upper bellows 11. In other words, the topplate of lower bellows 1t), and the floor of upper bellows 11 arecontinuous and jointly planar since they are really a single plate whilethe reed box 15 rides up and down as the 3,188,903 Patented June 15,1965 "ice bellows are operated. Accordingly, both bellows areinter-connected by the reed box to produce alternate and contraryoperation.

Upper bellows 11 has a rigid fixed top plate 19 provided with an intakevalve Zil which serves a similar function as valve 13. Likewise, thefloor of upper bellows L1 is provided with a delivery valve 21 whichfunctions as does valve 16.

It will be observed that top wall 19 is integral with side walls 22, thebottom of which are connected to the bottom supporting strips 112a. ThusWall 19 and sides 22 form a rigid frame member which supports upper endof bellows 11 in a fixed position, the lower end of the bellows i lbeing movable as will hereinafter be made clear, to produce expansionand compression. In order to insure the return of bellows 11 to acompressed condition, a return spring 23 is provided, spring 23 beingconnected between top plate 19 and the reed top plate 18. However,ordinarily the player will do so manually through means which willhereinafter be described.

The reed box 15 is essentially of known construction although itsspecific disposition in combined relation to my bellows arrangement isnovel, The reed box 15 is provided wit-h a conventional form ofelongated reed block 25, the underside of which has a series of tunedreeds 2d which may serve the number of octaves required, such as in anaccordion or conventional organ. The upper face of reed block 25 isformed with conventional reed slots which are covered or uncovered bythe rear hammer 27 of keyboard 28.

Keyboard 28 comprises the usual series of so called black and whitekeys. Any conventional form of keyboard may be used. In this applicationI have shown the keyboard 2-8 consisting of a series of keys which areconnected to a transverse rigid supporting block 29 on the top surfaceof which is a resilient strip 30 to which the keys are independentlycemented side-by-side. Block 29 thus serves as a fulcrum, the keys tereby being mounted to operate in a see-saw fashion, with the keysnormally in an upward position, the hammer ends of the keys then beingin a reed closing position. A resilient cushioning strip 31 is alsoprovided. It is to be understood, however, that the keyboard systemshown is simply representative and may be substituted by a conventionalkeyboard system, It should further be observed that the keyboard systemabove described is the subject of a US. patent application filed by meon April 29, 1964.

The instrument is provided with a hand saddle 35 which comprises aninverted U shaped rigid frame 36 disposed across the entire instrumentand resting upon rigid plate 18 of reed box 15. A downwardly andrearwardly inclined hand rest bar 37 is approximately medially disposedacross frame 36.

As is noted in FIGURES 2 and 3, the players hands will be insertedthrough the transverse space or slot formed by the top bar of the saddleand the hand rest bar 37. The rear portion or heel of the hand willnormally rest upon bar 37 so that the fingers may operate the keyboardas illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Let us assume that the player desires to compress lower bellows 10 so asto deliver a supply of super-atmospheric air to reed box 15. The heel ofhis hand will simply press upon bar 37 of the saddle 35 so as to producesuch compression of bellows 10. At the same time, bellows 11 will beexpanded or charged. Of course, the player will usually play a tune byoperating the keyboard at the same time, as shown in FIGURE 3.Accordingly, it will be recognized that the players fingers will selectthe desired keys at the same time that his hand produces compression ofthe lower bellows 10 and the required flow of air to the reed box. Theseactions may be inter-related by the player since he may desire toaccompany I the production of any particular note or chord with aforceful or otherwise modulated stream of air, such as a vibrato or thelike. All this is made possible because the players hands aresimultaneously controlling both th .key selection and the air flowmodulation.

On the return stroke, the back of the players hand will normally beemployed against the top bar of the saddle 35 to expand or charge thebellows 10 and compress or discharge the bellows 11. Thus an alternateand substantially continuous flow of air, through the same direction, isdelivered to reed box 15 so that both bellows are served by the one setof reeds as shown.

'It will be recognized therefore that the player will reciprocate hishand or wrist up and down to move the keyboard bodily and produce theflow of air While he is playing the tune with his fingers. The entiredevice is so compact that it may rest on the players lap or may bedisposed on any supporting surface such as on a small table. If desired,the instrument may be secured to such table.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is obviousthat numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing fromits spirit.

What is claimed is:

1. In an air operated musical instrument having a series of tuned reeds,an air fiow system, said system comprising a first bellows, a bodilymovable keyboard mounted over said first bellows whereby a player maymanually compress or expand said first bellows while he is playing atune on said keyboard, a second bellows spaced from said first belowsand connected thereto whereby said manual operation of said firstbellows will effect contrary operation of said second bellows, and areed box fed alternately by each of said bellows.

2. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said second bellows isdisposed rearwardly and upwardly of said first bellows in substantiallyL-shaped form, the connection of the two bellows comprising arigid platewhich extends across-the top of said first bellows and across the bottomof said second bellows, said rigid plate being re- 4 ciprocably movableto alternately and con-jointly charge and discharge the respectivebellows.

3. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said first bellowscomprises a rigid and fixed floor, and said secondbellows comprises arigid and fixed top face, said reed box being substantially rectangularand said rigid plate constituting the top face of said reed box wherebysaid reed box moves reciprocably during charge and discharge of therespective bellows.

4. An air operated, tuned reed, musical instrument comprising a firstbellows, a reed box mounted on said plate of said second bellows and thebottom plate of said first bellows being fixed and rigid, and a saddlemounted on said red box and having a hand receiving transverse slot foradmitting the hand to permit finger operation of said keyboard, saidsaddle being rigid to transmit manual forces to said reed box rigidplate for operating both bellows.

6. An instrument according to claim 5 and wherein said saddle is ofinverted U-shape, and a rearwardly downwardly' inclined rigid transversebar medially disposed across said saddle to support the players hand. 7

7. An instrument according to claim 6 and including a return springconnected from said movable reed box rigid plate to said second bellowsrigid top plate.

No references cited.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN AIR OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A SERIES OF TUNED REEDS,AN AIR FLOW SYSTEM, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING A FIRST BELLOWS, A BODILYMOVABLE KEYBOARD MOUNTED OVER SAID FIRST BELLOWS WHEREBY A PLAYER MAYMANUALLY COMPRESS OR EXPAND SAID FIRST BELLOWS WHILE HE IS PLAYING ATUNE ON SAID KEYBOARD, A SECOND BELLOWS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST BELOWSAND CONNECTED THERETO WHEREBY SAID MANUAL OPERATION OF SAID FIRSTBELLOWS WILL EFECT CONTRARY OP-